http://newyork.sbnation.com/2010/11/17/1820270/the-new-look-lucky-new-york-jets Pretty good article i thought
Definately a good read.This year more than any other I believe the term "any given sunday"applies more than ever!
+1 Its the truth. No dominant teams have emerged yet this season. According to the experts last week, the Giants were the best team in the NFC then they got pummeled at home by the 1-7 cowboys. In the AFC I don't see any dominant team. The 3 best teams appear to be the Jets, Pats and Ravens - none of which are dominating the conference. In that context the Jets appear to be the best team in the bunch in that they arguably have the best losses (GB & BAL).
I assume you are being facetious. I understand the point. But it does say something to note that close wins inspire less confidence than convincing ones. I tend to look at these close wins optimistically for a different reason. I think while there is in fact merit to the analysis that suggests teams that win "too many" close games eventually find themselves on the losing end of close games, that there is nontheless reason for optimism. I think the team is gaining confidence, rightfully so, in MS's ability to hang in there in close games and win them. For example, on the Detroit game, how many times did Chad lead the Jets back from more than one score down in the fourth quarter? Did he ever? MS has. The team knows they are not out of it, thanks to Mark. That's huge. I also think there's something to the Jets bringing out if not the "best" in the competition (I am leery of that sort of claim), at least the chippiness in them. Ryan seemed to have provided some ammo feeding into Detroit's antagonism. We have seen that at other times, but Detroit then goes and over does it, hurting themselves. Did non and unfair calls hurting the Jets in the Denver game lead them to think they could get away with a face mask on Holmes? Who knows, but we do see opponents in effect trying too hard and hurting themselves. But most of all I think there is reason to think, assuming no other key injuries, that the Jets will get better over the next few games. They had to work Holmes into the offense and still get Edwards and Keller and the others out there. The running game can, and I think will, do even better. MS shows more and more consistency. On D Revis and Cro are both healthy. More of a pass rush would be nice, and maybe that will come, too. In other words I am hopeful we will see some blowouts here, and not just because a little less excitement would be a good thing if accompanied by another W, but because we can see the Jets playing even better.
We are definitely taking every teams best shot. Ryan made sure that would happen, and it will have us well prepared for the playoffs. The blowout wins are likely just a result of teams consistently playing well in all phases of the game. The Jets haven't really done that yet, but clearly the potential is there. It's just a matter of pulling it all together with this team. Once that happens, I suspect the result will be more blowouts.
There aren't many blowouts in the playoffs. It'll be nice to know in a close playoff game that we've had a ton of experience at winning them during the season.
With regards to all the mediocre and surprise teams in the playoff race, it's true, this has been a crazy year. But it is still relatively early and things always tend to clarify themselves after 16 games. If Oakland gets in is it because the league is so horrible or because they actually improved? Is this a surprise year for Atlanta or was last year an off one for a team that had looked to be on it's way up? The Jets were Exhibit A to many last year of a team undeserving of the playoffs. They proved in the playoffs and this year that it was no fluke. I have not been saying the Jets have been lucky. What I have been saying is that anything can happen in a close game. The ball bounces funny and that's a fact of life. A great defense that keeps you in every game so that you can take advantage at the end is invaluable. That may be the most impressive thing about the Jets this year, they have been in every game so far and not let one team pull away. We just need to pull away in some games now so that everything isn't always riding on the last couple of drives..
It does matter. I like the fact that we're winning but I'd rather us dominate than end up needing luck to win..
It's not like we win every close game. We're 3-1 in games decided by 7 or fewer, 5-2 if you count all single digit decisions.
Again, I do think it's a good thing in terms of experience for the Jets to not only know conceptually but to feel it in their bones that they are not out of games until they are over. But the point remains that a team that dominates regular season games against the weak sisters of the league still is a better bet in the playoffs than one that if not plays down to those weak sisters at least does not dominate them. I don't think this is a merely esoteric point, but hopefully as White Shoe alluded to the dominating wins will come and this debate will be behind us.
Other than the Bronco game and the first half of the Detriot game, I wouldn't say the Jets have been playing down. The defense didn't play down in either of our losses either, those were offense issues.
I have a good feeling about this weekend and I expect blowout number 2 or atleast a win by 10+ points
